Playing King
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ISSN 2002-3898 © Maria Berlova and Nordic Theatre Studies DOI: https://doi.org/10.7146/nts.v26i1.109744 Published with support from Nordic Board for Periodicals in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NOP-HS) Playing King Maria Berlova ABSTRACT The Swedish King Gustav III ruled from 1771 to 1792. His departure to the Russian war in 1788 was staged as a grandiose spectacle. The King, who was also a playwright, made the day of his departure coincide with the symbolic date of June 23. This was the date that Gustav II Adolph (ruled 1611-32) went off to the Thirty Years? War in 1628. The parallel between Gustav III and the great Swedish warrior King was further emphasized by his costume made in the style of Gustav Adolph. In this article, the author analyzes Gustav III?s departure to war as a theatrical event and explores the borders of theatrical events in the late eighteenth century. Gustav III?s ceremonial departure is placed in the framework of Nikolai Evreinov?s and Yuri Lotman?s theories of theatricality which show how the King applied theatrical means to everyday life in order to theatricalize it, i.e. to make it spectacular and symbolic. By theatricalizing life Gustav III idealized his role of king and thus performed his power. Theatricalization of political life not only adorned life but it also significantly changed reality; the theatrical playing of the King entailed real consequences ? Gustav III enacted his role of a monarch in a memorable way and achieved his political goals. The interaction between politics and theater is the main focus of the article. The author also explores the poetics of theatrical playing in politics. Obviously, the relation between the King-performer and his subjects-spectators was different from the usual actor-spectator relation in the traditional theater. During the communication of the King-performer and his subjects-spectators the political context was of significant importance; the main purpose of such communication was political propaganda. As a result of his ceremonial departure and, eventually, the theatricalization of war, the King succeded in becoming a national hero among the simple people, which proves the efficacy of theatrical means. Keyw ords: Gustav III, theatricalization of politics, Swedish theater of the 18th century, Yuri Lotman, Nikolai Evreinov, Catherine the Great. BIOGRAPHY Maria Berlova is a lecturer in European Art History at the Russian University of Theater Arts (GITIS, Moscow, Russia). She also works as a Senior Researcher at the State Institute for Art Studies. Right now she is working on two book projects: Performing Power. Political Masks of Gustav III in English and Theater of the King in Russian. Berlova received her MA in theater studies at GITIS in 2006, and PhD in 2011. She obtained her second PhD from Stockholm University in 2013. Her research interests are European theater history of the eighteenth century, particularly Swedish and Russian theater history. [email protected] 80 Nordic Theatre Studies 8 vol.26: no.1 Playing King MARIA BERLOVA The Swedish King Gustav III ruled during from appealing to the image of Gustav Vasa (1523-60) 1771 to 1792. His departure to the Russian war while addressing the peasantry of Dalarna, a prov- in 1788 was staged as a grandiose spectacle. The ince in central Sweden, Gustav III managed to gath- King, who was also a playwright, made the day of er militia to protect Gothenburg from the Danes in his departure coincide with the symbolic date of 1788, during the Russian-Swedish war. By perform- June 23. This was the date that Gustav II Adolph ing his role of the King-protector, he succeeded in (ruled 1611-32) went off to the Thirty Years’ War in introducing a special war-tax during the session of 1628. The parallel between Gustav III and the great the Parliament in 1789. Swedish warrior King, who is credited as the found- The interaction between politics and theater will er of Sweden as a Great Power as he led Sweden to be the main focus of my article. I shall also explore military supremecy during the Thirty Years’ War, the poetics of theatrical playing in politics. Obvi- was further emphasized by his costume. Accord- ously the relation between the King-performer and ing to Frederick Axel von Fersen, Gustav III wore a his subjects-spectators was different from the usual camisole decorated in the style of Gustav II Adolph actor-spectator relation in the traditional theater. with the sword of Carl XII (ruled 1697-1718) on a During the communication of the King-perform- broad sash on his side and, on his head, the tricorne er and his subjects-spectators the political context of Carl XI (ruled 1660-97) with a yellow-and-blue was of significant importance; the main purpose of cockade.1 such communication was political propaganda and The purpose of this article is to analyze Gustav at times, as shown above, the concrete political goals III’s departure to war as a theatrical event and ex- of the King. The communication between the per- plore the outcomes of theatrical events in the late forming King and his subjects did not presuppose eighteenth century. I shall place this event in the the emergence of theatrical fiction as the main goal framework of Nikolai Evreinov’s and Yuri Lotman’s as in the traditional theater. By theatrical means the theories of theatricality, showing how the King ap- King played himself, it was a self-idealization, i.e. plied theatrical means to everyday life in order to the transformation of reality and not the imaginary theatricalize it, i.e. to make it spectacular and sym- theatrical world. The interpretation of a theatrical bolic. By theatricalizing life Gustav III idealized his event was required from the subjects when the King role of king and thus performed his power. Theatri- performed in front of them. But this event took calization of political life not only adorned life but it place in the context of real life, therefore life roles also significantly changed reality; the theatrical play- of both the King and his subjects also came into ing of the King entailed real consequences – Gustav play. Let’s consider the King’s departure in terms III enacted his role of monarch in a memorable way of a theatrical event occuring in real life, but one and achieved his political goals. For instance, by which likely had its source inspiration in the realm Nordic Theatre Studies vol. 26: no. 1 Nordic Theatre Studies vol. 26: no. 1 81 of Gustav III’s explorations within drama. emphasized the admiration of the King by his sub- The King’s departure was highly ceremonial. jects and within the various strata of society. The The solemn procession that accompanied the King same admiration the King aspired to receive in real made its way from the palace to the waterfront. life and therefore he resorted to powerful theatrical After the halberd carrying troops, the court pages means. The ceremonial departure of the King can and the state counselors, the King himself parad- be compared to the scene from his play Gustav Vasa ed at the right hand of the Queen followed by the staged as an opera in the Royal Theater in 1786. In Crown Prince. Already about ten years old, he ac- the play, after his victory over the Danes and liber- companied the Duchess Hedvig Elisabeth Charlot- ation of Stockholm, Gustav Vasa was celebrated by ta, the wife of the King’s brother, Duke Carl, with a grandiose procession showed on stage. On June the courtiers behind them in no particular order. 23 1788, Gustav III resorted to the same theatri- The procession was closed by an innumerable crowd cal means with the only difference that the world of people of all estates and ages. At the staircase that became his stage, his subjects became his actors led to the dock, the King embraced the Queen, the and the main role was performed by the King him- Crown Prince and the Duchess; the members of the self. This was a characteristic feature of Gustavian Council who stood in line were allowed to kiss the theater, following the spirit of the epoch, that easily King’s hand. Then, Gustav III together with Duke transgressed the borders of the traditional theater Frederick Adolph, accompanied by a select retinue and transformed reality by producing a theatrical boarded a waiting sloop. Hearing the greeting accla- event. mations of the crowd, the King stopped the sloop, The theatrical playing in which Gustav III con- answered with an emotional hurray, and then sailed sciously indulged could be considered as the basis to his flagship Amphion anchored at the island of of his daily activities. The theoretical confirmation Skeppsholmen. After Gustav III signaled his depar- of this idea can be found in the works of Nikolai ture, twenty eight galleys ceremonially passed along Evreinov who contended that theatrical playing is the ship; but the Monarch’s ship which followed an anthropological and biological function of all them was delayed till morning because of unfavora- living organisms. ble winds. The ships of the Swedish flotilla moored In 1908, Nikolai Evreinov, Russian stage direc- at the islands of Fjäderholmarna not far of Stock- tor, playwright and theater theorist, introduced the holm also had to wait for favorable winds.2 Thus, we term ‘theatricality’ (teatralnost), which had a wide see that the theatricalized departure of the King was spectrum of meanings. A ruthless opponent of nat- hardly consonant with the conditions of real life. uralism in the theater of his time, Evreinov was an The theatrical playing and the impression from the apologist of theatricality both in art and in daily life.